


Reaching for Something that Isn't There

by RedPandaOverlord



Series: Reaching for Something that Isn't There [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Eventual Fluff, Eventual Sex, F/M, I wrote this crap like 4 years ago and I'm debating whether or not I should continue it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 23:16:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11908257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedPandaOverlord/pseuds/RedPandaOverlord
Summary: The fearsome Drakengard sails the seas, spreading ill omen to those who encounter it. How will you cope with your dark past as you encounter Captain Gilbert Beilschmit on the vast ocean before you?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this back in 2013 and lost motivation to continue it somewhere along the way. I've been meaning to continue it but my writing back then was cringeworthy.
> 
> I originally posted this on deviantArt (https://cosette8.deviantart.com/art/Pirate-Prussia-x-Pirate-Reader-Prologue-357960449)  
> and also on Quotev (https://www.quotev.com/story/2844251/PiratePrussia-x-PirateReader-Reaching-for-Something-that-Isnt-There).

     “Another round!” the sailor called out to the waitress of the inn.  
  
     “Haven’t you had enough? Your friends are already asleep under the tables.” the woman replied from behind the counter, indicating the four snoring bodies sprawled out on the ground.  
  
     “It’s finally time fer me to enjoy meself. Those fools don’t know the true pleasures o’ drinking at night,” said the gruff sailor, leaning back in the wooden chair he was sitting in, making it creak under his weight.   
  
     “Especially when there’s such a fine lady right in front o’ them!”  
  
He eyed the bulky woman and gave her a smirk through the dark brown curls of his beard.  
  
She giggled, covering her mouth with her stout hand.   
  
     “Oh, you! Can’t find many sailors like you anymore!”  
  
The sailor gave a husky laugh as the waitress picked up five empty bottles of rum from the table and went to the back room. She placed them on the ground; they clinked as they bumped into each other.   
  
  
  
     “What’s it like to be at sea? All the men that come through here say that it’s the life to live. I can’t imagine being on a rocking boat for weeks on end, with no bath or change of clothes!”  
  
She came back out with two more bottles of rum, placing them in front of the large sailor as she took a seat next to him.  
  
     “Ohoho! Women! All o’ ya ‘re the same!”   
  
The sailor opened one of the bottles and took a great swig of the liquid inside. He grimaced slightly as he swallowed.   
  
     “Gyahaha! Now that’s good rum!”  
  
The sailor lightly placed the bottle on the table, holding the opening with his fingers as he looked up at the ceiling. Cobwebs could be seen in the nooks near the wooden beams, their shadows dancing from the lights of the candles lit around the relatively large room.  
  
  
  
     “The sea… The sea is like… a calling—a calling fer the free spirited,”   
  
He began slowly swirling the bottle.   
  
     “A place where any man can be whoe’er they want, go where’er they please, live the life they always wanted.”  
  
The sailor closed his eyes, taking in a slow breath.   
  
     “The feel o’ the wind blowin’ past ye, the splash o’ the water against the bow, the wide open waters just waitin’ fer ya… waitin’ to see what yer capable of…”  
  
The waitress stared at the sailor, her hands at the sides of her face.   
  
     “To see what you’re capable of…” She closed her eyes.  
  
  
  
     “I still think it’s boring, sailing out in the middle of nowhere with the same people for weeks.” She slumped in the chair she was sitting in.  
  
The man sighed, shaking his head slightly.   
  
     “That’s not all there is to bein’ at sea, lass. There’s plenty o’ excitement to keep ya on yer toes.”   
  
His eyes lit up as he sat up and faced the waitress.   
  
     “Storms’ll lash out at ya mercilessly, goin’ at ya with everythin’ it’s got—testin’ yer commitment to Calypso ‘erself!”   
  
The sailor was standing now, his arms spread out to the sides.  
  
     “Calypso? Oh you’re talking silly now!” the waitress played, lightly hitting the man’s waist as she chortled. “But what about treasure, and pillaging and plundering towns and whatnot?” the woman asked as she leaned on the table, looking up at the lumbering man.  
  
     “Don’t be mistakin’ a mere fishmonger like me wit’ those heartless savages o’ the sea now, lass.” the sailor chuckled as he took his seat again, chugging the rest of the bottle in seconds.   
  
     “Hic!”   
  
He slammed the bottle on the table and began opening the other one.  
  
The sailor eyed the curious woman across from him, wiggling out the cork lodged in the bottle.  
  
  
  
     “Pirates,” he stated in a low, ominous voice.   
  
The woman tensed up a bit.   
  
     “The savages o’ the sea, they are. They take what they want, when they want, howe’er they want. They don’t care who stands in their way—they only live fer their own selfish desires. Hell, they do things just fer the fun o’ it, relishin’ theyselves in the pain and despair o’ others. Could say they’re the true men o’ the sea.”  
  
The man downed half of the bottle.  
  
     “Have women ever been out there?” the woman asked, straightening herself in her chair, sitting stiffly. “They obviously wouldn’t be able to do such atrocious things, would they?”  
  
     “Think again, lass.”   
  
The sailor motioned the waitress to lean closer.   
  
He looked straight into her faded blue eyes, making her slightly uncomfortable.  
  
     “It’s certain that havin’ a woman onboard a ship will bring nothin’ but bad luck to the crew, but there’s one ship that uses that to their advantage, ye see…”  
  
The man’s eyes became grim.  
  
     “The Drakengard.”  
  
     “The Drakengard…?” the woman whispered.  
  
     “The only ship known to have a woman onboard, deliverin’ ill omen to those unlucky enough to cross ‘em. They attack ships, ports, and towns, bringin’ nothin’ but misery to those unfortunate enough to encounter ‘em. Even if there ‘re survivors, they only live long enough to end they own lives,”   
  
The sailor leaned in closer.   
  
     “You heard about what happened to Mindleton, didn’t ye?”  
  
The woman nervously nodded.   
  
     “That one seaport that disappeared overnight ten years ago…?” she shivered.  
  
     “Used to be one o’ the largest and wealthiest places ‘round here… And apparently it was ransacked by none other than The Drakengard. They say that the woman on board carries a sword with the mark o’ the seas itself, its movement just as mesmerizing and deadly. I’m tellin’ ye, lass: O’ all the blood thirsty pirates to look out for, they’re the ones to be watchin’ when yer out on the seas.”   
  
The sailor’s voice was low, adding a menacing tone that made the waitress stop breathing for a few moments.  
  
     “They could attack anyone… At any time…” the woman muttered.   
  
Her hands were clutched together in her lap, her knuckles turning white as they shook slightly.  
  
The sailor placed one of his large calloused hands on top of hers, bringing the shaking to a stop.  
  
     “Anyone at any time…”   
  
  
  
The sailor suddenly pecked the waitress’s lips, making her snap out of her entranced state.   
  
She squealed and slapped his leg as he gave a hearty laugh.  
  
     “Oh you! That was all made up just to swipe a kiss from me, wasn’t it?! You salty sailor, you!” She stood up and grabbed the empty bottle of rum that was on the table from earlier.  
  
     “Gyehehehe! Couldn’t help meself in front o’ a beautiful lady like yerself, now could I?” the sailor jollied as he took a gulp of rum from the bottle in his hand. “But what I said is true, lass. Take it to heart.”  
  
The waitress was heading to the back room to place the empty bottle with the others.  
  
     “Oho, I’m not sure I can trust your word on—”  
  
She suddenly stopped as she looked at the window past the sailor’s head.   
  
Her eyes grew wider as her jaw opened and closed like a fish.  
  
The sailor placed the bottle in his hand on the table.   
  
     “What’s wrong, lass? My story scare you that much?” he chuckled.  
  
The woman shook her head as her face became paler by the second.  
  
     “F-f-f-...”   
  
She lifted her heavy arm, her trembling finger pointing towards the window past the sailor’s head. She dropped the bottle, shattering it into pieces.  
  
     “What are ye…?” The man slowly turned around and saw an ember spectrum surf across the building across from them.  
  
     “FIRE!!”  
  
  
  
The sailor jumped up, kicking the four unconscious men still sleeping beneath the tables.  
  
     “Get up, ye fools! There’s a fire!” The men groaned, rubbing the sleep from their eyes.  
  
     “Sir…?” one of them grumbled as he slowly sat up.  
  
     “Move yer ass! There’s a fire outside!”   
  
The sailor smacked the man across the face, instantly opening his eyes as he moaned from the stinging emanating from his cheek.  
  
The waitress shrieked as she pointed to the entrance of the inn.   
  
The door was engulfed in flames; the sides of the building began to seep smoke. Fire broke out by the back door, blocking off the passage.  
  
     “There’s no way out!” the woman cried, running towards the sailor and grabbing his arm.  
  
     “Damn it to hell!” the sailor yelled as he turned around, observing the smoke now surrounding him, the waitress, and his four crewmen.  
  
     “There’s screaming outside, sir!” one of the men shouted to the sailor. “Listen!”  
  
Indistinct wails and cries could be heard beyond the crackling of the burning building. From what could be seen from the fire-covered windows, people were blindly running around as all the buildings around them were burning.  
  
     “What the bloody hell is goin’ on??” the sailor questioned as he squinted his eyes from the heat surrounding them.  
  
  
  
     “You don’t think…”   
  
The waitress clenched onto the man’s arm more tightly.   
  
     “You don’t think it’s… The Drakengard… do you…??”  
  
  
  
The crewmen and the sailor stared at her in shock, realizing it was a possibility.   
  
  
  
     “The Drakengard?! Don’t be a fool!” the sailor snapped. “There’s no reason fer the fiercest pirate ship to attack some little port town!”  
  
A wooden beam fell near the clustered group, sending embers up into the heated air.  
  
     “I don’t want to die!” the woman cried, burying her face in the sailor’s arm.  
  
     “Damn it all to hell!” the sailor yelled.  
  
  
  
The door of the inn fell down, revealing the madness taking place outside.  
  
     “The door! The door, sir!” the man with the swollen cheek cried. “We can run out if we’re quick enough!”  
  
The sailor squinted through the rising heat.   
  
     “That’s good enough fer me! Off we go!”  
  
He wrapped his large arm around the thick waist of the waitress and began to plow through the burning tables and floorboards. The crewmen were lined up single file behind him, holding shoulder of the person in front of them so none would fall behind. The waitress was screaming as they rushed past the flames, trying to keep the ends of her dress from catching fire.  
  
  
  
     “Almost there, lads!” the sailor called out behind him.   
  
They were nearly to the door, when suddenly a shadow appeared a small distance outside of it. Another wooden beam fell in front of them, blocking the path out the doorway. The line came to an abrupt stop as the assembly stared at their obstacle.  
  
     “Oh! There’s a person out there! Please help us! We can’t get out!” cried the waitress, tears and sweat mixing on her soot-covered face.  
  
  
  
The figure made no movement.  
  
  
  
     “What’s wrong with yer ears?! We’re goin’ to die if ye don’t—” the sailor paused as he blinked from a bright light shining in his eyes.   
  
He looked down towards the figure’s hand.   
  
A glimmering sword was seen, its reflection bouncing off the contortions of the inferno in front of it. The man scanned the blade and saw a design that appeared to ripple in the blazing heat, much like the waves of the unmerciful sea.  
  
  
  
     “N…No…” the man breathed. “T…The… DRAKENGARD.”  
  
  
  
The sailor’s words echoed through the thundering of falling planks and the roaring of the fire. The group stiffened, not moving a single muscle.  
  
  
  
The figure stood there for a few moments longer, staring at the trembling faction in front of them.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, the figure reached for its side, taking out an object and aiming it at the group. They held it there, peering down the length of it.  
  
  
  
     “W…What are they—” The waitress was cut off as she suddenly slumped next to the sailor.  
  
He held her waist tighter as he reached for her arm with his other hand.  
  
     “Hey! Lass! Get ahold o’ yerse—” The sailor gaped at the woman’s face, as there was a hole in her forehead with blood coming out of it.  
  
There were scattered gasps among the crewmen as they observed the sight before them.  
  
  
  
     “She… She’s dead!” cried one of the crewmen. “That person’s got a gun!”   
  
He suddenly threw his head back, falling down into the fire behind him.  
  
  
  
     “U… UWAAAAAHHHHH!!!” the other three crewmen cried as they saw their shipmate burn in the blaze.  
  
A bullet hole could be seen in-between his eyes.  
  
     “We can’t hear the gunshots! It’s too loud in here!” one of the crewmen yelled over the roaring firestorm around them.  
  
     “Goddamn you…”   
  
The sailor held the limp waitress’s body closely.  
  
     “Ulgh!”   
  
Another one of the crew members fell to the side.  
  
     “Goddamn you...!”  
  
     “Elgh!”  
  
     “Hurh!”  
  
Two more bodies toppled over.  
  
     “GODDAMN YOU!!!”  
  
  
  
The sailor began to cry, still holding the waitress while surrounded by the bodies of his crew.  
  
The figure outside simply stared at the husky man sniveling in front of them.  
  
  
  
     “Look at that,” the person spoke in a low monotone voice. “A few people die in front of a proud man and he turns into some blubbering coward.”  
  
The sailor sniffed as he stared through his heated tears and rising embers.  
  
     “Pathetic.”  
  
The figure peered deep into the man’s reddened eyes.   
  
  
  
     “What is it you treasure most?”  
  
     “…M-my…t-treas-sure?” the man stuttered.  
  
The figure paused before making a slight nod.  
  
     “My… treasure…” the sailor sniffed again. “My treasure is… the sea…”  
  
     “The sea…” the figure spoke. “It’s not your crewmates surrounding you now?”  
  
The man slowly looked to his sides, looking at the now charcoaled bodies sizzling in the inferno. The smell of their burning bodies made him nauseous.  
  
     “T…They…”  
  
     “It’s not the woman you hold tightly in your arms?”  
  
He looked at the face of the waitress, eyes still open from the unexpected gunshot to her head. Her feet had caught fire some time ago and were burning the ends of her dress.  
  
     “I only m…met ‘er tonight…” he said letting go of her arm, brushing his hand over her eyes to close them.  
  
     “Your crew…” the figure softly spoke. “Made the sea more pleasant, did it not?”  
  
The sailor slowly nodded.  
  
     “They were the ones who traveled with you, isn’t that right?”  
  
     “Y-yes… They…” the man paused. “They were wit’ me fer many years…”  
  
     “This woman…” the figure spoke a little louder. “You only met her tonight, correct? She’s never been to sea, I’m assuming.”  
  
     “Yes, she…”   
  
He looked at the woman’s soot covered face.   
  
     “She was like any other waitress at an inn.  I… I feel bad fer the poor lass. But she made this night one o’ the most enjoyable fer me and me crew…”  
  
The figure tightened their grip around the gun.  
  
     “What allows you to treasure your precious sea?”   
  
The sailor was silent for a few moments.   
  
More of the ceiling came crashing down; a larger section had landed on one of the crew members, crushing his bones. The man flinched at the sound as he stared at the figure.  
  
     “They did…” he replied in a hoarse voice. “They… made the sea… a treasure…”  
  
     “What’s your REAL treasure then?” the figure firmly asked.  
  
     “My real treasure… is the people who make things…” the sailor smirked slightly. “A true life to live…”  
  
The barrel of the gun was still aimed at the man, who was now looking directly at the figure through the blaze.  
  
  
  
The figure lowered their arm, still staring at the sweat-covered man, holding the body of a woman who no longer had any distinguishable legs at this point, surrounded by blackened limbs crushed from wooden supports.   
  
The sailor’s legs had caught fire, but he paid no attention to it.  
  
  
  
     “And you…” the man started. “What o’ yer treasure…?”  
  
  
  
The figure said nothing.   
  
  
  
They looked towards the top of the inn as they heard creaking from above the sailor’s head.  
  
Their sight returned back to the eyes of the weary-looking man in front of them.  
  
     “My treasure…” the figure murmured.   
  
They slowly turned away from the door and began walking towards the port.  
  
There was a large crash behind them.  
  
The entire ceiling of the inn had collapsed, all of its occupants crushed under the massive fiery weight.  
  
  
  
     “My treasure… never existed to begin with.”  
  
  
  
You looked up towards the moonlit sky; columns of smoke were swallowed in the endless abyss as you made your way back to The Drakengard.


	2. Fourteen Years Ago

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *lies in the fetal position in the corner while screaming internally and externally, for the cringey-ness is strong*

     “Get back here, you thief!”  
  
A stall owner selling fruit angrily shook his fist at a scrawny youth who was making a break for it out of the market square. Various stands bordered the edges of the area, selling numerous wares from near and far. Hoards of people filled the empty gaps of the square, saturating the air with mean bargains, indistinct laughter, and metal clangs from the local smithy.  
  
  
  
The thief dodged masses of people, sliding under large wagons and bounding over wooden crates. They tilted their head back slightly, listening to the distant shouts of the fruit seller they stole from.  
  
     “Hehe… Too slow for me, old man!” the individual panted as they ran down a wide street. They slowed their pace as they turned into an alleyway of two small structures, slithering in to catch their breath. Still breathing hard, they leaned against the stone wall, gripping their stolen prize: a red apple that had a few bruises on its smooth surface.  
  
     “And now…” the thief sighed as he huffed on the apple, wiping it on their dirtied shirt. “Breakfast is served!”  
  
They widened their mouth as they prepared to take a satisfying bite.  
  
  
  
     “You went through all that trouble for  _that_?”  
  
The youth paused.  
  
They looked side to side, but saw no one. Thinking it was their imagination, the individual resumed their task, opening their watering mouth to partake of their breakfast.  
  
     “I said, ‘You went through all that trouble for  _that_?’ ” A stronger emphasis was placed on the last word.  
  
The thief slowly leaned their weight away from the wall, now convinced that their starvation was getting to them.  
  
     “Why wouldn’t I…?” the individual muttered in a low voice, still gripping the apple in their hands.  
  
     “Do you like apples with squishy parts in it?”  
  
The thief glanced down at the fruit.  
  
     “…Not really.”  
  
     “Why’d you get that one then?”  
  
     “I’m not a picky eater. Besides, that seller would’ve tossed this one anyway.”  
  
     “So why didn’t you just ask him for that apple if he was gonna get rid of it? And if you’re not a picky eater, why did you say you didn’t like apples with squishy parts in it?”  
  
     “Look,” the youth huffed. “It doesn’t matter where it’s from. They bring it, I take it—everyone wins!”  
  
     “…The seller doesn’t win though.”  
  
There was a short pause.  
  
     “It doesn’t matter if he wins! He does what he needs to, people like me do what they need to, and everything keeps working like normal!” The thief gripped the bruised fruit even firmer, making its sticky juice seep out from its battered skin.  
  
     “But you just said that everyone wins when they don’t. And nothing goes back to nor-”  
  
     “Listen, you! Stop bothering me already!” the thief snapped. “Where are you?! I’m gonna beat you to a pulp!”  
  
     “I’ve been here the whole time!”  
  
The youth looked side to side again, still seeing no one.  
  
     “I’m right here!”  
  
Hearing the source of the voice from above, the thief looked upward. A small head was leaning over the edge of the small building. Squinting their eyes against the sunlight behind the shape, the thief attempted to back up to get a better view—to no avail as they bumped into the other side of the alleyway.  
  
     “What the…” the thief muttered.  
  
     “I’ve been following you ever since you took the apple from the seller! You didn’t notice me once! I was running right beside you!” the head huffed.  
  
     “Wha… No one was following me! I’m the fastest one around here!” the youth shouted upwards.  
  
     “You’re pretty slow at noticing things around you though,” the head called down.  
  
The youth scowled as they threw the limp apple by their feet.  
  
     “Grr! Get down here so I can pummel you!” The thief pointed their sticky finger towards the small head hovering above them.  
  
     “………”  
  
The head suddenly disappeared from sight. The thief paused for a moment, still staring at the spot where the shape once was. Were they imagining things?  
  
     “H-hey! I said get down here!”  
  
     “Like I said, you’re pretty slow at noticing things around you.”  
  
The youth quickly turned towards the entrance of the alleyway.  
  
     “What the…” they muttered to themselves. A small figure wearing a dainty white dress with simple lacings stood in the space. White petunias decorated hair that hung loosely around the shoulders. “How did… how did you get down here?”  
  
     “I jumped. How else would I get down, stupid?”  
  
     The youth’s eye twitched. “S…Stupid?? Listen you, I—”  
  
     “You shouldn’t waste things you take from others,” the little one interrupted.  
  
     “…What are you talking abo—”  
  
The youth looked at their hands, realizing they had disposed of it near their feet. As they took a quick glance around them, they couldn’t find the remnants of their stolen prize.  
  
     “What do you treasure the most?”  
  
The youth turned back to the figure, looking down at their small hands holding two halves of a beaten apple.  
  
     “Is it this apple you took from the seller?”  
  
There was a pause.  
  
     “Is it taking something from someone else to make your tummy feel better?”  
  
     “Wha…”  
  
     “Or is it living another day just to be unhappy?”  
  
The youth stared in silence.  
  
You looked down at the broken apple in your hands, and cradled the pieces as the juices oozed out onto your arms.  
  
     “Wasteful willy.”  
  
     “W… Wasteful willy?? What are you talking about?!” the youth exclaimed, staring at you in bewilderment.  
  
     “You stole this and you didn’t eat it, so you’re a ‘wasteful willy’. Can’t you see it’s crying now?” You lifted the broken fruit, holding it up to your eye level as you showed the youth the juices glide down your wrists and trickle onto the ground of the dirty alleyway.   
  
 _‘What’s with this little brat??’_  the youth thought to themselves. “Apples can’t cry, you idiot,” the individual snuffed, crossing their arms and leaning on their hip. “They’re not alive.”  
  
You furrowed your eyebrows, lowering your hands.  
  
     “Apples grow, don’t they?”  
  
The youth blinked.  
  
     “Well,  _duh._ ”  
  
     “They come out small and grow big and fall off a tree, don’t they?” You tilted your small head to the side.  
  
     “Of course they do, you little moron!” The youth was quickly losing their temper. “What’s your point already?”  
  
You felt a slight breeze blow behind you and into the empty alleyway. Your hair tickled your cheeks as it caught the little wisps brushing past the strands.  
  
     “We come out small too.”  
  
     “Yeah,” the youth exhaled. “And?”  
  
     “We grow big too, in our mommies’ bellies.”  
  
The individual paused for a moment.  
  
     “…So  _what?_ ”  
  
     “So,” you stressed, as a matter-of-factly. “We fall away from them when we’re big enough, and sometimes we get left alone, getting hurt from everything hitting us on the ground.”  
  
     You gaze down at the apple in your hands, pulling it closer to your stomach. “Then when people find us to give us to other people who want us…” You close your eyes. “We get stolen away…and we get hurt even more…”  
  
The youth was silent.  
  
     “…And then we turn into rotten apples, making all the other apples unhappy. And every time either of us falls, we cry. It hurts when we fall. It hurts when we get taken,” You slowly open your eyes, meeting the stare of moist sea-green eyes. “Everything hurts.”  
  
The youth stood motionless, their bottom eyelids twitching slightly as their hands tightened into a fist. Their breathing was shallow as they felt their eyes begin to sting slightly.  
  
     “When we hurt…” You take small steps towards the trembling individual. “We don’t know what to do. We don’t know how to make the hurt go away. We don’t know how to make others look at us and say, ‘What a yummy-looking apple!’ We only get stolen by a bunch of wasteful willies. But all we really need to do is become something that people will look at and say, ‘That’s something new! I want to see what that is!’ ”  
  
You stopped a small distance from the youth, whose face was turning a light pink as their face began to contort slightly.  
  
     “So, Mr. Wasteful Willy,” you spoke as you held the apple pieces up towards the youth’s face. “Apples can cry. See?”  
  
The youth lowered their head, taking sharp breaths as they clenched their eyes shut from the warm streams dripping from them.  
  
 _‘Stupid kid.’_  
  
The youth crumpled to the ground, their back heaving as sobs escaped from their gritted teeth.  
  
You simply stared at them, watching them tightly grip their arms to keep themselves from falling apart.  
  
     “M-m-my  _mumma,_  s-she…” the youth managed to get out between snivels. “S-she t-t-tried so hard to t-take care of m-me…”  
  
You tilted your head to the side.  
  
     “B-b-but she d-d-died… and…and I couldn’t d-do anything for h-her…!” At that, the youth moaned and made another lurch forward, cringing in front of you.   
  
  
  
You lifted one of your hands, propelling one of the apple halves at the youth’s head. It made a thsh sound as it made contact, splattering over their cranium and flying onto your dress. The individual jumped at the impact, holding the injured area with both hands as their head shot up.  
  
     “AH! W-what are you doing??” the youth shivered out as they gaped at you with their tear-soaked face.  
  
You chucked the other apple straight at their nose, throwing the individual backwards.  
  
     “OW! My nose!” the youth cried as they clutched the bridge of the sore area. They rocked themselves from side to side, their knees curled up into their chest. “Why would you do that?!”  
  
     “Apples don’t cry forever, you big crybaby,” you say as you wipe your small hands on the front of your dress, knocking off the little apple bits that adhered to the soft fabric. “They dry up and become food for other things, like other plants and stuff.”  
  
The youth slowly pulled themselves up, one hand propped up their side as the other continued to rub their nose, which had started to seep a red liquid from their left nostril.  
  
     “…Are you telling me to die to help others live?” the individual groaned.  
  
     “What? No, you dummy!” you shouted, making the youth twitch. You stomped up to them, placing your hands on your hips. “Apples aren’t only for eating! You can use them for other things, like to paint or for ammu…ammuniay…ammunioh…”  
  
     “… Ammunition?”  
  
     “Yeah! Am-mu-ni-tion!” You face brightened as you mentally praised yourself for managing to pronounce the word.  
  
The youth gave you a confused look.  
  
 _‘This kid…’_  
  
     “So! Since you’re an apple what was ne…negle…ne-glec-ted,” You smile to yourself. “You can be my ammunition!”  
  
     “Um…What?” The youth staggered up, using the side of the alley to prop themselves up. You could see that you were only as tall as his lower waist.  
  
     “Yeah! I found another apple like you not too long ago, only she wasn’t as stubborn as you.”  
  
     “Look kid, I’m not gonna be your—”  
  
     “___________!”  
  
You spin around, facing the entrance of the alleyway, which was blocked by the shape of a towering man.  
  
     “Oh! You found me!” you giggled as the person closed in on you. “You’re bad at hide-and-seek. I thought you would’ve given up!”  
  
The person loomed over you with a scowl on his face, holding a woven basket in one hand and a dented metal pipe in the other. He wore a thick overcoat and black boots that made his height all the more terrifying. His light beige hair bordered a face that housed deep violet eyes.  
  
     “I wasn’t aware that running off was ‘hide-and-seek’, young miss…” the man growled. “ _Kolkolkolkol..._ ”  
  
The youth behind you stumbled back, quivering from the sight of the large man hovering over the two of you. Their heel knocked a stray rock, making a small clattering sound as the man turned their glare towards them.  
  
     “What do you think you’re doing with the young miss in such a place?” the man rumbled as he gave a deathly glare.  
  
     “Uh, I-I-I d-d-d-didn’t—”  
  
     “HEY!” You stomped on the man’s foot as hard as you could, giving him the toughest face you could manage. “That’s bodyguard number two, Ivan! We just saved a kidnapped apple!”  
  
     “A kidnapped… Apple?” Ivan continued to glower at the youth, unfazed by your light attack. “And bodyguard… number two?”  
  
     “Bodyguard number two!” You held up two fingers and waved them while standing on your tippy toes. “So bug off, глупый!”  
  
Ivan blinked, breaking off his death glare and turning his attention to you.  
  
     “ _…Kolkolkolkol—_ ”  
  
     “No!” You punched his leg as hard as you could. It felt hard as rock, but you clenched your teeth and held back your whimper. “Why don’t you listen?! That’s bodyguard number two and they’re gonna work with bodyguard number one!”  
  
Ivan’s face was blank as he looked at your adolescent face displaying disapproval.  
  
     “But young miss—”  
  
You punched the area between his legs and he gave a painful groan as he took a few steps back, using the pipe to hold himself up.  
  
     “Body. Guard. Number. Two. That’s. It.” You turn back towards the youth, who was flabbergasted from the fact that such a small child could have so much courage against a large man.  
  
     “…You’re one weird kid…”  
  
     “You’re one dirty bodyguard,” you said, staring at the youth’s soiled hair. Dirt and clumps of mud were stuck to their hair, lightly coated in apple bits. “Bodyguard number one always wanted a brother, so you gotta protect her too!”  
  
The youth was taken back from your statement.  
  
     “Wait, I never agreed to any of this!”  
  
     “I agreed for you! Now come on!” You grabbed his hand and began pulling him towards the opening of the alley. “Ivan, what are you doing? Let’s go!”   
  
Ivan slowly stood along the wall of the alleyway, still slightly hunched over as you dragged the resistant youth behind you.  
  
     “Kid, I said I don’t want to!” the youth said as they tried to pull out of your grip.  _‘This brat’s got some crazy strength! I can’t get her to let go!’_  
  
     “You never said you didn’t want to,” You stopped just before your feet reached the opening of the street. “Besides, you’d help your mommy if you helped bodyguard number one and me. You’d help your mommy by helping others, which would help you feel better. Because helping others feels nice! You’ll see!”  
  
The youth was once again in silence as both of you stepped out of the alleyway, followed by Ivan who had regained his posture.  
  
     “Young miss, are you planning on taking in every stray you find?” Ivan asked as his eyes turned to a light shade of lavender.  
  
     “Bodyguard number one and two aren’t strays! They’re apples that never got a chance to be eaten!” you pronounce. “Besides, including you, I have 102 bodyguards!”  
  
The tall man chuckled, much to the youth’s surprise.  
  
     “A lot is expected of you from the young miss, ‘bodyguard number two’.” Ivan lightly chuckled as a small grin crossed his face.  
  
     “Stop calling me that. My name is Zwingli,” the youth said as they shaded their eyes from the sunlight with their free hand.  
  
     “Ze-win-gu-li?” you enunciate. “That’s too hard. What if I was dying and I had to call your name? I’d be dead by the time I finish! Ze-win-HURGH!” You grabbed your chest and contorted your face.  
  
The youth couldn’t help but laugh, despite the fact you insulted their name.  
  
     “Vash, then,” he exhaled.  
  
     “Vash…” you pondered. “Vash! Hehe! Vash! Vash! Vash!”  
  
You began to jump up and down, the ends of your dress floating up and down, the tips of your hair leaping to and fro as they danced with the petunias wrapped in the smooth locks.  
  
     “By the way…” Vash nervously turned to Ivan. “Who is this ‘young miss’?”  
  
     “It would be good if you knew who you were serving under, wouldn’t it?” Ivan gave an eerie smile, making Vash shiver slightly. “The young miss is __________   __________ of the ________ Manor. She is the youngest of the family.”  
  
  
  
Vash’s eyes went wide as his jaw dropped.  
  
     “Wait… Are you saying…You mean, she’s the daughter of this city’s …?!”  
  
     “Yes,” Ivan looked to his side as he viewed the vast landscape of the town, its slope leading down to a great ocean port where many ships were docked to deliver goods. “Young miss is the daughter of the founder of Mindleton.”  
  
Vash whipped his head towards you as he tried to grasp the situation. “She’s… You… You’re…” His mind was in a swirl of confusion. The little girl who ran the same speed as him, climbed up and jumped off a rooftop, and threw an apple at him, was the youngest daughter of Mindleton’s founder.  _‘But wait,’_  he thought.  _‘That means I work for some rich brat now. And that means I don’t have to scrounge around on the streets anymore!’_  
  
     “Yes, that’s precisely right.” Ivan said, breaking Vash out of his thoughts.  
  
     “Er, what?” Vash stuttered.  _‘Did he read my mind?? What a scary guy…!’_  
  
     “I said yes, _________ will soon grow up to run this city with her older sister, Sophia. Their parents have worked hard to build this great city, through sweat and toil.” Ivan continued.  
  
     “O-oh,” Vash replied.  _‘Phew!’_  
  
You dragged Vash to a small stall that had various trinkets. You giggled as you looked at the twinkling hairpins designed with golden threads and glittering gems. “Look, look!” you cried. “They’re so pretty!”  
  
     “Young miss, you already have so many back at the manor.” Ivan began.  
  
     “Those are  _Sophia’s_  hairpins. I want one of my own!” You pouted, making Vash feel a bit awkward as people near you gave you looks.  
  
     “Hey, don’t be a little brat. You should be satisfied with using Sophia’s hairpins.” Vash wiggled his arm, making your smaller one swing side to side. “Now, let’s get goi— OOF!” You punched Vash between his legs, making him fold over onto his knees. You threw his hand down, turning towards him with your hands on your hips.  
  
     “Learn your place, bodyguard number two!” you shouted. “I’m not a little brat! I earn what I want, while Sophia always has stuff bought for her!” You turned towards the seller of the trinket stand, who gave a light laugh at the sight of Vash. “Good afternoon, Maria!”  
  
     “Good afternoon to you, dear ________!” the lady responded, going around the stand to kneel next to you. She was wearing a light green dress that swayed as she moved. Her lightly tanned skin glimmered a soft bronze color, her dark brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail with a white ribbon. Her amber eyes glowed as she looked into yours. “How are you today?”  
  
     “I’m good, thank you. And you, madam?” You placed both of your hands behind your back and began rocking back and forth on your heels.  
  
     “I am well, little one,” Maria smiled, petting your hair. “What brings you here?”  
  
     “That hairpin,” You pointed to a navy blue pin with white lilies bordered with a thin line of gold. Maria gingerly picked it up, revealing three small chains of silver sequins that held clear gems off the ends. “I heard it calling me.”  
  
     “Calling you?” Maria laughed. “I see! Indeed, you can’t really help it if you find something you like!”  
  
     “Do you remember before bodyguard number one became “bodyguard number one” and took a lot stuff from your stand a few days ago?” You tilted your head to the side. “And I caught them and returned your stuff?”  
  
     “Hmm… Oh, why yes. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have a business anymore!”  
  
Vash peeked through his dirtied bangs from his folded position.  _‘She caught someone else before me?? She can’t be more than 4 years old! This ‘young miss’ is some kid…’_  he thought.  
  
     “I think we should trade,” you said as you stopped rocking and peered straight into Maria’s eyes. “I want that hairpin since I saved you.”  
  
     “Hmm…” Maria touched her chin and looked to the side. “This hairpin is awfully hard to come by, little _________. Are you sure you want this one?” She looked back into your _________ eyes.  
  
     “Yes.” You straightened your back as much as you could and slightly tucked in your chin. “It needs to be this one, Madam Maria.”  
  
Maria laughed, her voice jingling as she gave you a warm smile. “Alright then, dear _________. You have a deal!” She lightly pinched your cheek. “But don’t call me madam; I’m not married little one!”  
  
     “Yet. I know you’ve been talking with him a lot lately, Maria~” You gleamed at the woman before you as her cheeks became a light shade of pink. “He might ask you any day now!”  
  
She cleared her throat as she pushed against her knees, lifting herself up. “W-well that’s… uh… That doesn’t mean… I mean…” Maria turned around as she patted her lightly tattered dress.  
  
You giggled as you saw the woman needlessly straighten the items on the stand, listening to her mumble to herself.  
  
Vash simply stared, not knowing what to make of the situation. “Hey, uh, Ivan, was it?”  
  
     “Yes?” The man next to him grabbed his arm and pulled Vash onto his feet.  
  
     “This kid, er… _________, she acts like an adult, yet she still acts like her age… It’s like she’s two people in one.” Vash said as he rubbed his arm.  
  
     “Indeed. _________ is quite interesting. I suppose it comes from her desire to take responsibility for her future, but also from her inner desire to do as she pleases. Though aside from her...” Ivan nodded towards you. “…usual behavior, she’s been acting strangely for the past few months.”  
  
     “Strange? Like this isn’t strange enou- OW!” You had pinched Vash’s leg, giggling as he glared at you. “You little…!” He grabbed your nose and wiggled it. You squealed and slapped his hand away, running to Maria and grasping her dress. You stuck your tongue out at him and hid behind the woman.  
  
     “As hard as it is to believe,” Ivan said as he scratched his head. “But she’s been distancing herself from her parents, and keeps going on about smelling petunias whenever she’s near them. Recently, she hasn’t talking much to the servants, whom she used to be so comfortable with. It seems the only people she’s able to talk with are her sister, Sophia; myself; the first stray, the one she calls “bodyguard number one”; those outside the manor; and the new advisor.”  
  
You peeked from behind Maria, and looked down the slope towards the large port in the distance. The sun was setting against the horizon, just touching the edge of the open sea. Your eyes began to water slightly as the amber rays shined against you. You heard a small yap in front of you. You looked down and found a small Cairn Terrier wagging its tail at you.  
  
     “Hey you! What are you doing?” you exclaimed as you knelt down beside it and began scratching its ears. It rubbed its head against your small hands and jumped onto your lap, licking your face. “Ew! Stop! That’s gross!” you laughed as you held the small canine in your arms.  
  
     “The new advisor?” Vash questioned as he quirked an eyebrow at Ivan.  
  
     “He came from some distant land. Though the master has no need for an advisor, he suddenly accepted the man’s position with no complaint whatsoever. Not to mention he’s obsessed with floral scents and always wears a mask over his eyes. Quite suspicious, if you ask me.” Ivan turned towards Vash, leaning down hear his face. “Of course, you heard no such thing, right? Bodyguard number two…?”  
  
Vash shivered from the slight menace in his tone. “R-right…” He continued watching you as you ran in circles laughing as the pup chased you. “… Floral scents? Wait, what if he’s the one who’s making _________ act weird? It makes sense, right?”  
  
     “Hush.” Ivan narrowed his eyes. “Saying such things could get us in quite a bit of trouble, мальчик.” Vash slightly twitched. “I also think the same, but this man arrived weeks after young miss’s changed behavior. Even if we were to say something, we wouldn’t have proof it was his doing in the first place. There is not much we can do but follow our orders.”  
  
 _‘Some life I was pushed into…’_  Vash thought. “Hey, __________, get your hairpin and let’s go already.”  
  
You stopped running and gleamed at Vash with your slightly flushed face, panting from laughing so much. “You need to learn how to have fun! If you keep acting like that, you’ll—” You abruptly stopped, your eyes suddenly becoming wider as your smile disappeared.  
  
     “Hey… What’s wrong?” Vash was about to approach you before he heard a shout from behind him.  
  
  
  
     “ __________! Where have you been?! Do you see how late it is?!”   
  
A man was standing some distance behind Ivan and Vash, his expression stern as he glared at you with hard eyes. He wore a sienna-colored waistcoat with brass buttons down the middle, his kerchief a faded white hung just above it.   
  
The scent of petunias filled your nostrils as you stiffened in your place. You held your arms at your sides, clenching the ends of your white dress.  
  
     “Ivan! You disobeyed me again! You were supposed to be watching her!” The man stomped towards Ivan, who kept his line of sight straight ahead, avoiding eye contact.  
  
     “My apologies, Master Rowland.”  
  
Vash’s eyes widened at the man, realizing that he could be none other than the founder of Mindleton—your father.  
  
     “I-It’s not his fault…!” you managed to get out. Your father turned his attention to you. You could see nothing but rage in his eyes. “I… I went out on my own and caused Ivan trouble…” Your voice faded out as you stared down at your feet.  
  
Rowland came closer to you, kneeling down in front of your quivering body. “Did you find another stray?” His voice was filled with malice as he placed his hand on your head. You twitched at the contact; the scent of petunias made your nose hurt, so you began to hold your breath.  
  
     “……….”  
  
     “I see…” You felt Rowland’s hand tighten on your head. You whimpered and clutched your eyes shut from the pain. “Come along then. Your mother is worried as well. You may bring along this stray, but not this one.” Rowland nodded his head toward the small pup, which was peeking from under Maria’s dress.  
  
You remained quiet as you felt your father tightly grip his hand onto your small one and drag you up the small slope, in the direction of the manor.  
  
     “Um, Sir Rowland?” Maria called to your father.  
  
He turned his head toward the stand owner. You saw a look of annoyance on his face.  
  
     “The little one, I mean, the young miss had made a trade with me, for this.” She held up the hairpin you had wanted, its sequins and clear gems glimmering strongly in the light of the setting sun.  
  
     “For the other day, was it?” Rowland furrowed his brows. “________ has no need for such things. Keep it.” He continued on his way, pulling you along as you gloomily stared at Maria.  
  
Vash had a look of confusion, switching his line of sight between you and the man he technically worked for. He felt a gentle push from his back; Ivan kept looking straight as he nudged Vash to follow you and your father.  
  
     “Um… Bye, Maria.” Vash said as he looked back at the woman.  
  
     “Good evening to you, bodyguard number two.” Maria gave a small smile. The pup underneath her dress came out, sitting to her side and began to whimper from your absence.  
  
  
  
     “_________, she…” Vash whispered.  
     “Now you understand,” Ivan replied. “We must continue to follow orders.”  
  
You kept your eyesight to your feet, which struggled to keep up with the long strides your father took. You continued to trip over yourself and over the cobblestones you treaded. Suddenly, you felt large hands at your sides as you were lifted off the ground and slung over a shoulder.  
  
     “No! No!” You struggled over Rowland’s shoulder, thumping your small hands into his back. “No! No! No! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’M SORRY!”  
  
Rowland said nothing as he neared the gate to the manor. Two foot soldiers were guarding both sides of it. They nodded and pushed the iron bars open, briefly exchanging worried looks.  
  
     “Father, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I’m sorry! Don’t be angry! Please don’t hurt Ivan! Or Vash! Or Lili! Or Maria! It’s my fault, not theirs! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Tears streamed down your reddened face, your voice was beginning to go hoarse from your screaming.  
  
Ivan continued walking, his face emotionless. Vash struggled to understand what was going on, but he didn’t want to begin asking questions just yet. He would wait until things calmed down before trying to find out what was going on.  
  
  
  
The sun set, leaving behind a vermilion-colored sky filled with cerise streaked clouds and screams of apology from a strained voice.


	3. Falling

     “Please don’t punish them! It’s my fault!” you cried as your father crossed the threshold into the manor. “I was the one who ran off and made Ivan look for me!”  
  
  
Ivan followed Rowland a few paces behind, with Vash tailing him. Vash’s eyes widened at the grandiose entryway that had a large marble staircase some yards away. Above, a luxurious chandelier swayed slightly from the small breeze that had followed the group. To the right and left, larger hallways broke off into other parts of the building, creating a lavish maze filled with family heirlooms and antique statuettes. Vash’s eyes wandered to the top of the staircase, noticing a grand painting of the members of the ___________ family: a man; woman; and two young girls, one who seemed some years older than the other. He recognized the stern grey eyes of the man as Rowland, who seemed to have a gentle sense about him despite his facial expression. Vash assumed the woman was your mother, who reminded him of his own, as her brown eyes were warm and her smile sincere. He noticed you in the painting as well, with a great smile that lit up your face. Your small hands were held by those of the other girl, who looked about the same age as Vash. Her hair was straight and black, just passing her shoulders; it was held by a small hairpin that seemed to have blossoms bordering its peach shimmer. Her mauve eyes made Vash stare at her for a while, as he took in her kind smile portrayed in the painting.  
  
 _‘Maybe she’s Sophia? She has a hairpin similar to what _________ wanted earlier.’_  Vash thought.  _‘She’s pretty…’_  
  
  
His mind was interrupted as he noticed two figures come into view at the top of the staircase, just below the grand painting. A woman in a wine red dress adorned with golden thread and young girl wearing an auburn one with white pearls began to descend the stairs, both with slight looks of worry.  
  
     “There you are! Where have you been?!” you heard the woman shout as her heels clicked on each step. “We instructed you to be back before sunset!”  
  
Your hoarse voice came to a stop as your mother reached the bottom with your sister, who got a quick look at the new guest before giving her full attention to you. You felt your father roughly place you on the marble floor between Sophia and your mother, leaving your stomach sore from his shoulder digging into it earlier. You grabbed the ends of your dress again, keeping your head down as you slowly turned your body towards your mother. You avoided her gaze as she crossed her arms and sighed.  
  
     “You may be young, _________, but it seems you forget that you and your sister are heir to the manor, and both of you will later run this grand city your father and I built from the ground up,” Your mother kneeled down in front of you, her dress puffing around her waist. “You need to focus on your studies more. You’ve been outside too often lately—your skin keeps getting darker like a farmer’s!” She pinched your arm, which made you cringe slightly. She paused for a moment before pulling her hand away and straightening herself.  
  
     “Ivan,” your mother addressed the tall man behind your father.  
  
     “Yes, Madam Constance?” Ivan took a small step forward, crossing his metal pipe across his chest and giving a small bow.  
  
     “I assume you obtained what I asked for?”  
  
     “Yes, Madam. I found all the materials.” He motioned the woven basket he carried earlier in his hand.  
  
     “Good. Give them to Katyusha and have her place it in my private room.”  
  
     “Yes, Madam Constance. If you’ll excuse me.”  
  
Ivan bowed again, this time to your mother, father, Sophia, and you, before walking to the left side of the stair case, opening a door and disappearing.  
Your body stiffened as a brief silence settled between all of you in the main hall. You struggled to maintain your balance, as the stench of petunias continued to sting your nose, making you feel lightheaded and nauseous. Slowly, you began to raise your head to meet your mother’s gaze. Her stature and poise made her appear more intimidating from your shorter perspective; the gentle and nurturing eyes you once craved now seemed to be nothing more than empty orbs full of resentment.  
  
     “…You still haven’t eaten yet, have you?” asked Sophia, breaking the silence.  
  
You shook your head as you returned your gaze to the ends of your dress, now finding small wrinkles in the fabric from your clenched hands. A petunia from your hair fluttered out of the strands and fell to your feet. You tapped it gently with your shoe before stepping on it, pressing the limp petals together to close the white blossom.  
  
     “I haven’t eaten either,” she said as she approached you, kneeling down to you. “Why don’t we eat together, hm?” Sophia lifted your chin to meet her eyes; she tilted her head slightly as she gave you a small smile.  
  
You nodded slowly, managing an “Okay” from your dry mouth.  
  
     “Yes, let’s eat together. You’re included too,” Sophia turned toward Vash who was still off to the side, trying to absorb the situation before him. “Of course, you’ll need to look better than that,” She sniffed and raised an eyebrow. “And smell better, might I add.”  
  
Vash turned his head to the side, trying to hide his embarrassment behind his mud-clumped hair.  
  
     “Another brat to take in?” Constance stepped forward and stopped in front of Vash. He immediately straightened his posture and looked straight at your mother, who was now observing the stray before her. “You already took one in the other day.”  
  
     “He… We saved a… kidnapped a… apple…” you muttered as you turned around to where Vash, your mother, and father were.  
  
     “An apple this time?” Rowland inquired. “First a lost jewel, now an apple. Are you a hero now?”  
  
You didn’t say anything as you switched gazes between your mother and father. You were scared something bad would happen next. Your stomach began to churn from the thought of your parents punishing Vash, a bystander who was dragged in by you.  
  
     “He… He’s my responsibility now since I found him…” You stated in a small voice. “Just like with Lili. I’ll watch over both of them and keep them in line, so…” You took in a deep breath to steady your shaking body. “Please don’t make them leave.”  
  
Rowland closed his eyes and Constance sighed; they exchanged glances before turning their attention to Vash.  
  
     “Your name, boy,” Rowland held his hands behind his back.  
  
     “V-Vash Zwingli, s-sir.”  
  
     “…Zwingli?”  
  
     “Y-Yes, sir…”  
  
Rowland stared through the muck on Vash’s face, trying to observe his facial features.  
  
     “I see… You must be…”  
  
     “Oh my…” Constance whispered. “Never would I have thought…”  
  
Vash had a confused look on his face.  _‘Do they know me?’_  
  
Your father cleared his throat. “You will be in the servant’s quarters, understood?”  
  
     “Huh? Ah, y-yes sir.”  
  
     “Since you are the newest addition to my youngest daughter’s… exploits, you are to wait on her and do exactly as ordered. Of course, you are under Ivan, who is under myself, first. Is that understood, Mr. Vash Zwingli?” Rowland’s voice seemed to thunder from the empty corners of the main hall, the reverberations making you shiver slightly.  
  
     “Yes sir,” Vash nodded.  _‘His voice seems familiar…’_  
  
Rowland nodded to Vash and turned to you, his eyes seeming indifferent.  
  
     “You are to eat, then immediately bathe and rest. Understand?”  
  
     “Y…Yes, father,” you stuttered.  
  
     “… Sophia, you are to do the same.”  
  
     “Yes, I know,” Sophia straightened herself and placed her hand on your shoulder.  
  
Constance walked over to Rowland, who offered his arm to her.  
  
     “There is still work we need to complete for the docks before tomorrow morning, so we will be in the study,” Constance said as she and Rowland began up the stairs. “Come the next day, you two are to be in the library continuing your studies.”  
  
     “Yes, ma’am,” Sophia said as Rowland and Constance reached the top of the stairs.  
  
     “Yes, mother,” you said.  
  
Your parents had paused before turning down the hallway by the stairs.  
  
     “I thought I told you to never call us ‘father’ or ‘mother’.” Rowland spoke.  
  
Your breathing stopped and your ears began to ring. You held onto your dress even tighter as you closed your eyes.  
  
     “I’m sorry…” you whispered. Your parents continued down the hall, leaving another silence in their wake.  
  
Your eyes began to sting once again and your fingers lost feeling. Your breathing was starting to become shallow as you tried to keep your voice from seeping past your quivering lips.  
  
     “Don’t cry,” Sophia cooed as she knelt down again and brought you into an embrace. “You’re going to be okay. Everything will be alright.”  
  
Resting your head on her shoulder, you only permitted tears to be let out as you tried to focus on calming down the nauseating feeling from your stomach.  
  
  
 _‘I hate this… I hate this… I don’t want this anymore…!’_  
  
  
     “Let’s go eat now, shall we?” Your sister gently took out the petunias from your hair, dropping them in a small pile on the ground.  
  
You nodded slightly, pulling away from Sophia’s reassuring embrace. She smiled and stood up, taking your small hand in hers.  
  
     “Vash…” you muttered.  
  
     “Yeah— er —yes… young miss?” He straightened his back and had his hands at his sides.  _‘This feels awkward… But I’ve got no choice now.’_  
  
     “Ivan should be down that way,” you sluggishly raised your hand towards the door the towering man went through earlier. “Go find him so he can tell you where you’re sleeping. Take a quick bath, then let him show you where the dining room is.”  
  
 _‘She’s acting grown-up again…’_  
  
     “You’ll eat with me, Sophia, and Ivan.”  
  
     “And Lili too,” your sister said. “She didn’t want to eat until you came back.”  
  
     “… Is that the same with you too?” you asked as you lifted your head towards Sophia.  
  
She simply smiled and lightly squeezed your hand. Her gentle face made you return a wide smile, finally calming down your nerves.  
  
     “Oh,” you realized. “What about…?”  
  
     “Him? He was sent out to finish up a few last minute errands for tomorrow,” Sophia answered. “I don’t think he’ll be joining us.”  
  
 _‘Him? Who are they talking about?’_  Vash thought.  
  
     “Okay…” you sighed. You looked up towards Vash again, noticing traces of confusion on his face. You couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty for bringing him into a world he really had no responsibility for; at the same time, it was also good for him since he wouldn’t be scrounging around on the streets anymore. “Go ahead and go, Vash. We’ll see you later.”  
  
     “Right…” he nodded. Vash took a faltered step before remembering to give you and Sophia an awkward bow. Your sister giggled as he stiffly walked toward the door by the stairs and nervously entered it.  
  


 

* * *

  
  
     “мальчик,”  
  
     “UWAH!”  
  
     “Hush,” Vash felt a large hand press against his mouth. “Must you always make such a ruckus?”  
  
Vash hadn’t noticed Ivan standing by the doorway as he entered.  
  
     “We must quickly get you cleaned up. Come this way.”  
  
Ivan released his hand and began down the corridor. Vash stumbled a bit as he followed the man past the brown-colored strahan wallpaper, adorned with brass candle holders. Ivan made a quick turn to the left, making Vash go into a light trot to keep up.  
  
     “H… How long were you… waiting there?” Vash panted as he followed the striding man. “What’s with ____________? She’s acting so weird…”  
  
     “Your room will be the last door in the hall of the servant’s quarters,” Ivan ignored Vash and made a turn right. “There is a small bathing room between the stairs up to the courtyard and the servant’s dining area.” He made another turn to the right. “Since you are a ‘bodyguard’ for young miss, you are to take turns with Lili in watching __________’s door at night when she sleeps and wake up early to tend to her throughout the day.” Ivan made a sudden stop, making the trotting Vash bump into the man’s large back. “Should any problems arise…” Ivan slightly turned, his violet eyes darkening. “I will deal with you myself.”  
  
Vash gulped, nervously nodding his head. Ivan grinned as he continued on through the twists and turns of the corridor. Struggling to keep up with the long strides of the taller man, Vash was memorizing which doors led to which areas of the manor as Ivan gave a quick description of each. The doors down such and such hallways lead to such and such areas. There are hidden passages in these rooms that lead out to these places. Secret stairways in those rooms lead to other rooms that hold those objects and documents.  
  
Finally reaching the bathing room, Vash leaned against the wall to catch his breath. Ivan opened the door and pushed the worn-out youth in.  
  
     “Natalia will help you get ready. She’s rather quick with these things.”  
  
     “ _SHE?_  I can bathe myself. And you didn’t answer my question about—”  
  
     “No time. Natalia!” Ivan angled his head down the hallway as he called for her. “Young miss has brought back another rascal to tend to. Please take care of him.”  
  
A woman a few years older than Vash suddenly appeared behind Ivan, startling him from her silent approach. She had a yellow-beige tint to her hair that rolled to her lower back. Her eyes were navy blue, the same color as the bow that was tied on top of her head. She straightened the white apron that covered her blue dress from the waist down, going to the tips of her toes to whisper something in Ivan’s ear that made his expression drop and his face turn pale. She then turned her attention to Vash, who began to slowly back in to the bathing room.  
  
     “Uh… I can do this myself, thanks…” Vash had no intention of being in the same room as the person who made such an intimidating man quiver in his own skin.  
  
     “Big brother said to take care of you, so I will take care of you,” Natalia said as she entered the room, closing the door behind her. “You need to be cleaned quickly so you can go to dinner.”  
  
     “B-Big brother?! You guys are related??”  
  
     “I will take care of you, just like big brother asked me to.”  
  
  
  
  
As you lay in the warm suds of the bathtub, you heard a distant scream echo through the manor.  
  
     “Please raise your arm, young miss,” Lili said as she held a soaked cloth near your right shoulder. You complied as she carefully held your hand and began scrubbing up and down your forearm.  
  
Lili’s loose braids of blonde hair swayed slightly as she scrubbed, hovering over her blue dress with rolled up white sleeves. Her sea green eyes were concentrating on the task before her.  
  
     “Lili, you have a brother now,” you said. She paused from your statement, not sure if she heard you right.  
  
     “A brother, young miss…?” Lili slowly continued to scrub your arm.  
  
     “Mm-hmm. Vash, he’s about the same age as Sophia, so he’s a bit older than you.” Your arm was beginning to get sore from the constant scrubbing, so you pulled away and lifted your foot, indicating to Lili what needed to be cleaned next. “He’s bodyguard number two, so now you aren’t alone.”  
  
     “I see…” Lili moved toward your wiggling foot above the suds and began to scrub. “Are you sure of this…?”  
  
     “Of what?”  
  
     “Well…” She paused. “Of taking us in from the streets… I mean, most wouldn’t do such a thing because of their fear of taking in suspicious strangers into their home.”  
You stared at Lili as she continued.  
  
     “Especially with me. I… I was stealing from that woman’s stand the other day… And you caught me,” She dropped her head. “I should be locked up now, but you took me, an orphaned thief, into your home and gave me a new life… Of all things to do, why would you—”  
  
You splashed water at Lili’s face, making her squeak from the sudden action.  
  
     “Stop that already,” you said with a pouting face. “If I’m going to be in charge of this place with Sophia one day, I should learn how to take care of the people living here before thinking about making money.”  
  
Lili’s face was blank as you propped yourself up from the tub.  
  
     “Everyone needs a second chance, even if they don’t think they deserve it.”  
  
With a blink, Lili gave a soft sigh as she grabbed a nearby cloth to dry you off.  
  
     “I suppose you are right, young miss,” she said as she began to pat you dry. “I apologize for questioning you.”  
  
     “Be sure to tell that to Vash. It’ll be good for you to talk with your brother.”  
  
Lili giggled.  
  
     “Of course, young miss.”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
     “Did you have fun while you were out today?” Sophia asked you as Lili sat you in a chair next to your sister. She took her place in the empty seat next to you, knowing that you wouldn’t allow her to stand off to the side; you wanted everyone to eat together.  
  
     “Yup,” You kicked your small legs, using the small momentum to scoot your chair closer to the table. “I found Vash and this pretty hair pin at Maria’s and there was a little doggy there too and Ivan was angry I ran off and I punched him where you told me to punch boys if they made me mad and—”  
  
     “Okay, okay,  _breathe_!” she chuckled. Sophia patted your head gently, feeling a slight dampness to it from your bath earlier. “So that boy’s name is Vash?”  
  
     “Mm-hmm, Vash Ze… Ze-wi…” You scrunched your eyebrows.  
  
     “Zwingli, young miss.”  
  
You turned in your chair to find Ivan standing at the dining room entrance, his hand on the shoulder of a boy with blonde hair just below his chin and moss green eyes that looked as though he saw death itself. He wore a dark green overcoat with dark beige pants, the leggings stuffed into brown boots.  
  
     “Is that Vash??” Your jaw dropped in an open smile, surprised that there was a face under all that dirt. “That was really fast! I thought you’d be ugly under all that!”  
  
     “There, now,” your sister said as she flicked your forehead. “That’s not nice. Besides, true beauty comes from the inside after all.” Despite her remark, Sophia couldn’t help but agree with you on the inside and giggled to herself.  
  
Vash’s eyes looked hazy, and he wobbled as Ivan guided him to the seat across from you on the table. As he sat down, he winced and held his sides close; his skin was sore and he felt lightheaded. Ivan took his seat across from Lili, who was staring at Vash.  
  
 _‘That is now my brother?’_  she thought.  _‘He seems familiar for some reason…’_  
  
     “Mr. Zwingli?” Sophia leaned forward slightly.  
  
Vash was still spaced out as he muttered on about monster siblings and no escape from the bathing room.  
  
     “Mr. Zwingli?”  
  
     “No escape… Leave me alone… I can clean myself… Monsters, all of them…”  
  
     “VASH!”  
  
He was jolted from your sister’s voice as his eyes now focused on the face diagonal to him, noticing a slight sense of amusement in her expression.  
  
     “By that reaction, I’m guessing Natalia helped you clean up?” Sophia touched her fingers to her lips to hide her smile.  
  
     “I, uh… Y-Yes… She did…”  
  
     “I’m used to being quick with things, so having Natalia with me really helps—though I can imagine she’s a bit too fast-paced for others.” Sophia gave a warm smile to Vash, who blushed and turned his attention to his knotted fingers in his lap.  
  
     “Nat and Kasha are Ivan’s sisters,” you began as you noticed Vash’s reaction to your sister.  
  
     “Nat and Kasha?” Vash looked questioningly at you.  
  
     “Natalia and Katyusha,” Ivan corrected. “Young miss has a difficult time with pronouncing their names, so she just calls them Nat and Kasha. Natalia is my younger sister and Katyusha is my older sister.”  
  
 _‘TWO sisters?! My god, just one was a nightmare…’_  Vash shuttered.  
  
     “Natalia is always with Sophia, Kasha with… mother, and Ivan with… father…” Your voice trailed off as you remembered what Rowland said earlier. You shook your head and cleared the thought away as you continued. “But Ivan stays with me when he doesn’t have anything to do.”  
  
     “That may be subject to change since you now have two people waiting on you now, young miss.” Ivan said as he glanced at Vash. “Lili and Vash should be more than enough to watch over you and join you for your… adventures.”  
  
You stared at Ivan, feeling a twinge of loneliness at the thought of the larger man’s absence. You noticed a figure rise behind Ivan and smirked.  
  
     “That means you’ll have more time to yourself, right?” You grinned.  
  
     “Well, that and more time to aid your father.”  
  
     “That means Nat can spend more time with you too, right?” Your grin widened.  
  
Ivan blanched for a moment before clearing his throat.  
  
     “Y…Yes, I suppose that as well.”  
  
A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around Ivan’s neck and began squeezing tightly.  
  
     “Broooootheeeerrrrrr…”  
  
     “GAH!” Ivan tried to jump out of his seat, but was held securely in place as Natalia rubbed her cheek against Ivan’s temple.  
  
     “Brother, marry me,” Natalia muttered behind the strands of her hair.  
  
     “Na…ta…li…a…” Ivan’s face began to turn a light shade of purple. “Can’t… brea…”  
  
     “Marry me, marry me, marry me, marry me, marry me, marry me, marry me…”  
  
     “Air… need air…!”  
  
     “MARRYMEMARRYMEMARRYMEMARRYMEMARRYMEMARRYME—”  
  
     “Natalia!” Sophia shouted past her labored breathing from laughing too hard. She attempted to look serious, but failed miserably. “I think that’s enough now.”  
Natalia released her iron grip on the unconscious man as his body lumbered forward and slammed his head onto the table. Vash simply stared in sheer horror as the slender woman pulled on Ivan’s shoulders and straightened him in his seat. A large bump formed on his forehead and a trail of blood slipped from one of his nostrils. He was still breathing, but it seems he was maintaining a limp body to save himself from more of his sister’s obsessiveness.  
  
     “Nat, Nat! Will you teach me how to that too? You only taught me how to hold onto something to make it go crack and how to make something bend the other way,” you asked as you looked at the woman in awe.  
  
     “But of course, young miss,” Natalia said as she twisted a handkerchief from her pocket and stuffed it up Ivan’s nose.  
  
     “Would you like me to teach you more with the pitchfork again, young miss?” Vash was knocked out of his state of shock with what sounded like… drums? You turned in your seat and noticed a person entering the dining room. You smiled at the gentle face.  
  
     “I wanna learn with something lighter this time, Kasha!”  
  
Vash’s jaw nearly dropped when he saw Katyusha walk around the table to where Natalia and Ivan were. She had on a white blouse with a blue ribbon at the collar. Blue overalls were worn over the shirt, the straps pushed to the side from the sheer size of the woman’s bosom. The leggings were stuffed into brown knee-length boots. Her sapphire eyes were bordered with the same beige hair as her brother’s, which was in a feminine boy-cut and held in place with a dulled yellow headband and two hair clips that intersected on one of her bangs.  
  
     “If that’s the case, Natalia can help us as well.” As Katyusha stopped, her breasts bounced which-way-and-about, creating a mesmerizing effect on Vash as he continued to stare at her chest. You noticed this, along with Sophia’s disapproving gaze. She simply cleared her throat and looked to the side, knowing that most people—male and female—stared at Katyusha either with shock or physical interest. She knew well that it wasn’t the poor woman’s fault, but Sophia couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealously.  _‘What for? That new boy? Ridiculous…’_  she thought to herself.  
  
     “Sophia…” you murmured to your sister. She turned her attention to you, hiding her true emotions as she gave you a warm smile.  
  
     “What is it?”  
  
     “You like Vash?”  
  
A small blush passed over her cheeks as she looked from your newly acquired bodyguard to you  
  
     “T-That’s silly, __________. I’ve just met him; much less know anything about him. What makes you think that?”  
  
     “You don’t choose who you fall in love with, Sophia.”  
  
     “That doesn’t answer my question.”  
  
     “It does.” Vash continued to stare at Katyusha’s chest, as if hypnotized. “Vash!” The youth jumped and looked nervously at you and Sophia. You motioned at your mouth, allowing him to mirror you and notice drool dribbling at the edge of his mouth. He quickly wiped it away in embarrassment and kept his gaze down.  
  
     “At least he has some shame…” you heard Sophia murmur under her breath.  
  
     “Kasha, Nat, did you eat yet?” you asked the sisters, hoping to change the mood.  
  
     “Yes, Madam and Miss Sophia had told us to earlier. My apologies, young miss,” Katyusha answered with an apologetic look on her face.  
  
     “That’s okay…” you pouted. “In that case, do you want to feed Ivan by yourselves, or…”  
  
Natalia’s face lit up at the thought.  
  
     “If that is alright with you, young miss…” Natalia straightened her posture and had a pleading look in her eyes. Katyusha had an indifferent look on her face; seems like she would be fine either way.  
  
     “You can feed him when he wakes up.” You looked at the lightly bruised man slumped in his chair. You noticed a slight twitch under his closed eyes. He was awake, and well aware of the monster you just unleashed. He’d get back at you later, and you knew that from past experiences.  
  
  
 _‘No sweets for a week… But it’s for Sophia. Sorry, Ivan!’_  
  
  
     “Thank you, young miss!” Natalia said almost too happily. She slid out the chair Ivan was sitting in and slung his large arm over her head. With a grunt, she lifted her brother onto her shoulder and began carrying him out the dining room. Katyusha gave a small wave and walked in front of Natalia, making sure that the path was clear as they headed to the servant’s quarters. Vash once again had a look of shock across his face as he sympathized with Ivan, who briefly lifted his head and looked at you both in panic and in anger. You mouthed ‘Sorry!’, and you had meant it this time around. You normally found joy in seeing the tough man reduced to a child whenever Natalia’s brother complex smothered him, but using him as bait to keep Sophia’s hidden jealousy at bay was much more important to you.  
  
     “Make sure you don’t choke him this time, Natalia,” Sophia called after them. “Remember: small portions.” Natalia turned and nodded at her before disappearing down the hallway.  
  
  
Left in the awkward silence, Vash was sitting on the opposite side of the table by himself, looking horribly uncomfortable. He looked exhausted, which reminded you of how similar he looked to Lili when she first had dinner in the residence. She actually had the opportunity to see Natalia force-feed Ivan with large portions and nearly squeeze his innards out when giving him the Heimlich maneuver. Smiling at the thought, you felt that both Vash and Lili would have a lot to talk about regarding the matter.  
  
     “Lili, go ahead and sit next to your brother.” As you said that, the kitchen servants entered the dining room with silver-lidded plates in their hands. Lili looked at you questioningly before abiding to your order. She pushed in the vacant seat Ivan was lifted from and took her place on the opposite side of Vash, right across from Sophia. As she smoothed out her dress, Lili glanced at Vash and had not a look of romantic interest but… admiration? An unfamiliar feeling of nostalgia flowed through her as she scrunched her eyebrows. Vash also had a nostalgic feeling flutter through him and tilted his head to the side trying to figure out why there was an empty feeling. To no avail, he couldn’t remember why there was this emotion, and neither could Lili for that matter.  
  
  
As the plates were placed on the table, their thoughts were pushed aside as the silver lids were lifted and a tantalizing aroma wafted upward. Vash’s stomach growled at the sight of the seasoned quarter of tuna, lightly coated with a lemon sauce and topped with a sprig of rosemary. A side of garlic asparagus completed the simple—yet carefully cooked—dish. Wine glasses were placed next to the plates and filled with Sauvignon Blanc. Your cup was the only exception, as it was the only one filled with white grape juice. The servants then flapped out cloth napkins and placed them in everyone’s laps. You twitched slightly when one of the male servers lightly bumped your shoulder. You held completely still as they murmured an apology and stepped some distance behind your chair, leaving a scented trail of petunias behind. All of the servers then bowed slightly and left the room.  
  
     “Tuna!” you gleefully cheered as your attention turned to the dish before you. You picked up your fork and cut out a small piece of tuna with the edge of the utensil. You stabbed it and brought it to your mouth, enjoying the light lemon taste and the freshness of the morsel. A sigh of happiness seeped from your throat as you continued to eat. Sophia giggled as she nodded toward Vash and Lili, motioning them to begin eating. They did so, almost mimicking your response unintentionally. You laughed as they looked at each other in embarrassment; they continued on, their eating patterns perceptibly similar. You and Sophia couldn’t help but stare at them as they ate their meal; their hand movement was nearly identical and they sipped their wine at the same time. Sophia looked from Lili to Vash in-between bites, carefully observing their faces.  
  
 _‘They seem somewhat familiar…’_  she thought.  _‘But I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before. Unless……… Oh my goodness.’_  Sophia turned to you as you stared warily at the asparagus on your plate.  
  
     “___________,” she whispered. You avoided looking at her, thinking she was scolding you for not eating your vegetables. “___________, how did you find Lili and Vash?”  
  
     “Oh,” you sighed, relieved that you weren’t in trouble. “I remembered seeing them in town sometimes whenever I was with Ivan. They were never together, but they always took things from the stalls.”  
  
     “You said you found Lili after she stole from Maria’s stand, right?”  
  
     “Mm-hmm,” You scrunched your nose as you reluctantly stuck a stalk of asparagus in your mouth. “She’s sneaky, so I thought we could both be sneaky together. Only, Lili wouldn’t be bad-sneaky anymore.”  
  
     “I see,” Sophia said as she glanced at Lili. “Is that the same with Vash?”  
  
     “Yup. I’ve seen him throw rocks really good whenever he was being bullied, and he runs fast too. I saw him at Joshua’s stand today when he was taking one of his apples and I decided to follow him after telling Ivan I wanted to play hide-and-seek.”  
  
Sophia frowned as she remembered the times she spent hours looking for you whenever you ran off.  
  
     “But, why these two? There are others like them out in town; you know that.” Sophia hoped their meeting was merely coincidence.  _‘How could I have forgotten? It’s been so long, I suppose. But there’s a gap in my memory; I can’t piece it together…’_  
  
     “They look like brother and sister, right?” You turned toward your two bodyguards across the table. They had just finished their meal and were now awkwardly conversing with one another. They seemed to be sharing their trauma from their cleansing times with Natalia.  
  
     “Yes…” Sophia drew out. “Yes they do. Very good observation, little sister.” She patted your head and you beamed.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
You woke with a pressing need to urinate. You slowly pulled off the covers and sat at the edge of your bed, your feet dangling a few inches above the wood floor. You peered at the window behind you, staring at the waning moon surrounded by the mesmerizing shimmer of the stars. You hopped off your bed and walked across the cool floor to the door. Grabbing the door knob, you carefully turned it and slowly eased it open. You looked to your left and noticed Lili dozing in a sitting position. She cradled the two flintlock pistols in her hands as she lightly snored. You went back into your room and came out with a light blanket to cover her. You tiptoed down the opposite hallway toward the stairway, heading down to the outhouse just beyond the kitchen door. You didn’t like using the closed stool in your room simply because it made you feel lazy; you tried to use it as little as you could, and only did when you were scolded for not using it. You walked through the kitchen, passing a table and taking a small fingerfull of cream from the cake you had for dessert earlier that evening.  _‘Mmm…Strawberry.’_  You pushed the back door open and rushed to the outhouse.  
  
Moments later, you emerged with a feeling of relief. But now you weren’t tired anymore. Now what? You went back through the kitchen door and reached for another swipe of strawberry cream. Stopping yourself, you went back outside and rinsed your hands from a bucket of water you pulled from the well at the side of the manor. You poured the remaining water out onto the dry dirt and headed back inside.  _‘I still don’t understand why we have to use so much water to stay clean. Everyone else uses much less. Mother is weird…’_  
  
You entered the kitchen once again, now intent on having more cream. As you reached out to it again, you heard whispers. You froze in place as you recognized the voices.  _‘Petunias…’_  
  
     “All of the preparations have been complete, Sir Rowland.”  
  
     “Good. Tomorrow at noon, we’ll go over the plans for the next four years. I’d like to avoid as many obstacles as possible.”  
  
     “Very good, sir.”  
  
You slowly crept to the side of the opening to the kitchen, staying out of sight as you saw your father talking with a taller man in the dining room. He was wearing large robes that reached just above his ankles; the loose sleeves were white while the torso was a vibrant red. He wore baggy white pants underneath that narrowed down into black shoes that curled slightly at the toes. His head was covered with a white scarf and topped with a red hat with white plumage cascading down the back. His mouth and chin were covered with a black cloth and his eyes were hidden behind a metallic mask. Lying on his hip was a kilij held in a black sheath. The man held his black-gloved hands behind his back as he listened intently to Rowland.  
  
     “I’d like to thank you again for aiding me with the construction of this ship, Sadiq. Not only will it have enough room for carrying a significant amount of cargo, it will also have the latest artillery onboard for defense. Your knowledge from overseas has been a significant help in improving our ports.”  
  
     “You’re too kind, Sir Rowland. It is I who should be thanking you for giving me such an opportunity. I was fortunate enough to have been found by one of your ships at sea, rather than a pirate’s.”  
  
     “You were fortunate enough that storm didn’t wash you away,” Rowland chuckled. “Please rest now. Tomorrow may be just as busy as today.”  
  
     “Thank you, sir. Please rest as well.”  
  
You quickly turned and hid behind a table in the kitchen. You heard footsteps go down the hall. The scent of petunias still wafted through the air, making your pulse slowly increase from the fear that your father was still in the dining room. Slowly, you heard heavy footsteps approach the kitchen. You held your breath, fearing your shaky breathing would give you away. Clenching your eyes shut, you pressed yourself against the leg of the table.  
  
  
Step.  
  
  
 _‘Closer.’_  
  
  
Step.  
  
  
 _‘He’s getting closer...!’_  
  
  
Step.  
  
  
Your pulse was pounding in your ears as the footsteps came to a stop. Taking short, shallow breaths, you slowly squeezed open your tear-brimmed eyes. You felt an overwhelming presence behind you, looming over your small, cowering body. You were frozen in place, feeling colder as you sensed a venomous glare piercing through you.  
  
  
You turned slowly.  
  
  
 _‘Petunias…’_  
  
  
Slowly.  
  
  
 _‘Petunias…’_  
  
  
Stiffly turning your head upwards, you saw the tensed face of your father towering over you.  
  
  
     “You little maggot.”  
  
  
He reached down and grabbed a handful of your hair, yanking you up to your feet as you cried out. You scratched at his hand, but it only tightened before he tossed you into the wall. Your breath was knocked out of your lungs; your head was throbbing and your back began to painfully ache. Tears streamed down your face as you struggled to scream. Nothing came out but labored breathing.  
  
  
     “It’s time to teach you a lesson, __________.”  
  
  
He grabbed your hair again and began dragging you across the floor to the backdoor of the kitchen. Your ankles scraped against the ground as you hopelessly tried to stop him from moving. Eyes clamped shut from the pain thundering throughout your body, you didn’t know where you were being dragged but knew it was still on the manor grounds.  
  
  
Finally, he came to a stop. He dropped your head to the ground and stepped away for a moment. Curling up and clutching your throbbing head, you heard what sounded like heavy chains clanging together as they fell to the ground.  
  
Footsteps approached you again.  
  
This time, your left ankle was grabbed and you were dragged once again. You felt the ground become unleveled with your right leg. You felt the steps scratching your back first before the weight of your head smacked against the edge of the stone steps. You held onto your head even tighter, hoping to resist as many of the strikes as possible. You struggled to let out pained whimpers, not only from agony but also fear.  
  
  
Reaching the bottom step, you were thrown feet first onto the chilled stone floor. You slowly eased your eyes open to see a blurred, monochrome world. Through one of your eyes you could see a dark room barely lit from the pale moonlight seeping in from the top of the stairs. Through the other eye, everything was a red hue. Wriggling one hand free from your head, you lightly touched your forehead and pulled it back to find blood dripping down your trembling fingers.  
  
  
 _‘It hurts… It hurts so much… Petunias… Petunias… It hurts everywhere…’_  
  
  
You felt something cold clasp around your left ankle and a click as it bit against your skin. You felt a tug as you were brought to a cobblestone wall; a thick chain hinged in between the stones lay slithered along your feet, the end welded to the clasp around your ankle. Your vision was starting to become hazy as your body finally began to give in to the echoing pain. Slowly turning to your aching side, you turned your head toward the stairs and saw the figure of your father ascending the steps.  
  
  
     “Some time in here should break you down, don’t you think?”  
  
  
You could only groan weakly in response.  
  
  
     “No one really comes through here that often, and it’s a fair distance underground that no one can really hear anything in or outside of it.”  
  
  
He reached the top and held the sides of the doors to the opening.  
  
  
     “It’s originally supposed to be a safe house to avoid dangerous intruders, but it can also be used as a storage area—so to speak,” he chuckled. It sounded unfamiliar to your ears as you struggled to stay conscious.  
  
  
     “Ugh… ah…” You breathed out nonsense as you tried to speak.  
  
  
     “Oh, not to worry though. I won’t be leaving you here to bleed or starve to death. I’ll shove food down your throat if I have to.”  
  
  
Your eyes became heavy with the begging of sleep.  
  
  
     “I want you to suffer—suffer from what you have done to me. I will only keep you healthy so I can snap your limbs over and over again. I despise you, you little maggot.”  
  
  
The doors slammed shut and the sound of chains rapped against the wooden frame.  
  
  
You were left in darkness. Your eyes slid closed as his last words haunted your fading consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaand that's where I lost my motivation four years ago -_-;


End file.
